Legends: Stories of the Shikon no Tama
by Nimue2416
Summary: A collection of short stories and Legends from the land of the Shikon no Tama. A companion story to Strange Bedfellows.
1. The Legend of Matsuko and Yamakaze

**The Legend of the Matsuko and Yamakaze**

Matsuko was a goddess. Her kingdom was high in the mountains. There, a small valley was always lush and green, despite the winter's cold. The snow melted in her valley, and formed a spring, which became sacred by her power.

On the edge of the valley, the winds howled fiercely, and Cloud Falcons soared lazily. From his home in the winds, Yamakaze watched Matsuko. She was gentle, and kind, and cared for those who crossed the mountain. She was well loved and served by all of the earth bound creatures – particularly the red wolves that populated the mountains. She would watch the world outside of her valley through a reflecting pool fed by her spring, but she would not leave her valley.

Yamakaze was a wind god – not a god of the earth as Matsuko was. His "children" the Cloud Falcons brought him news and prayers. He was not bound to the mountain as she was, although he did not like to stray from there – not when he might miss an afternoon of listening to her singing quietly in her garden.

One day, he sent one of his Cloud Falcons requesting permission to visit the goddess in her garden, and she accepted.

"My Lord," she bowed politely as he appeared before her. "To what do I owe this honor?

"The honor is mine, my Lady," he bowed deeply. "I have long watched you, my Lady. You are as kind as you are beautiful. I wish to make you my wife."

Matsuko smiled kindly. "I can not leave the mountain," she said gently. My powers are tied to the forest. From my garden, I protect my lands."

Yamakaze bowed. "Then I shall protect you here," he pledged.

From that day forward, the Children of the Wind protected the Children of the Earth. Yamakaze's Cloud Falcons brought their prayers to Matsuko. They scoured the mountains for any danger, and sped away to the god and goddess when trouble arose. They were vigilant protectors of her secret realm.

People began to settle on the mountain. They offered their prayers to the gods protecting their lands, and were cautious to never harm a Falcon or a Wolf. A shrine was built on the mountain, and guarded by sacred priestesses.

One day, a terrible demon attacked the mountain. Yamakaze engaged the monster in battle, but was mortally wounded. Matsuko left the mountain and brought him back to her garden. There, she called forth from the earth, a tree of healing. Its low, thick branches cradled the wounded god as she gave what was left of her strength to revive him.

Yamakaze awoke to find his beloved fading into nothing, for she had left her garden for too long. With what power remained in him, he blessed her sacred spring, and used its powers to bind their souls. When she breathed her last, they left the garden as one… as the wind.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Translations:

Matsuko: pine tree child

Yamakaze - mountain wind

I collect folk tales. I have read stories from almost every major culture, and I have found that in almost every one of them, the more interesting stories are compressed into a simplified overview that relays the key details. We do not need to know what Yamakaze looked like, or why the demon attacked the mountain – we just need to know what happened overall.

Several of the chapters have this same feel, and I have done it to allow the reader to fill in the gaps. Think of it as an approach to the Cinderella story. Every culture has one – and we all tell it differently. But we all know the moral; Great shoes Happily ever after

…..right? 


	2. The Children of Wind and Earth: Kazeko

**The Children of the Wind and Earth**

Although Matsuko and Yamakaze left the kingdom of earth, their children carried on their legacy. From their powers, the race of Cloud Falcon demons and Wolf demons arose. The Cloud Falcons kept watch over the mountains and carried prayers to the priestesses of the mountain shrine. The Wolves protected the sacred spring. The well now had the power to bind souls, and was closely guarded. Now, there was a High Priestess who read the clouds, and a Wise Woman who read the spring – both oracular in their own right.

Born of Yamakaze and Matsuko were the twins Kazeko, the wind sorceress and Hana, the Oracle.

Kazeko became the first high priestess of the mountain shrine. Her sister became the guardian of the mountain valley. Kazeko was lithe with black hair and an easy laugh. Hana was white as the snow, and thoughtful. Each had their protector, pledged both to their positions, as well as to the ladies themselves.

Kazeko appeared human. She was well known throughout the mountain for tending the sick, aiding the villagers, and for her beauty and purity of heart. Kazeko loved to dance, and when no one was watching, would dance in the sacred garden, blissfully. Occasionally she would ride on the winds to look over her people – but never when they could see her.

Hana was a child of the Earth – a wolf. She guarded the sacred valley as Kazeko guarded the mountain paths. She and her sister did all they could to protect the mountain and all who dwelled within their realm.

**The Story of Kazeko**

Udo came to the mountain on behalf of his village. A strange plague had broken out, and many of them were dying. On his way up the mountain, he spotted a young woman dancing in a clearing, alone. She captivated him with her every move – with her shining black hair – with her easy laugh. He wanted to stop – to ask her name… but the grumbling in his belly reminded him that no one in the village had eaten for quite some time. Thus, tearing his eyes away from the lithe maiden, he continued to the shrine. Imagine his surprise when he recognized the High Priestess as she who had been dancing in the meadows.

"You have one thing you may ask of me," she said, sitting before him.

Udo stared at the woman. He could ask her anything… and she would grant it. Thousands of possibilities sprang up before his eyes – most of which ended with him claiming the priestess as his own.

But, Udo was an honorable man, and he pleaded for the lives of his villagers. Kazeko was touched by his loyalty, and sent him home with a cure from Hana's garden.

The man restored his village, and then returned to the priestess.

"Was your village cured?" she asked.

"Yes, my lady. I have come to offer my thanks… and…"

"And?" Kazeko raised an eyebrow.

"…And my service. I offer my service."

Kazeko frowned a bit. "I am not sure I understand."

Udo remained bowed before her. "Ask anything you like of me. I am in your service."

Kazeko smiled gently. "You are welcome to help those who come to us," she said. She knew as a high priestess, she had her duties… and no mortal could possibly understand how long she could live.

Udo worked tirelessly for the shrine. He brought the fallen to the priestesses, he chopped the firewood, he weeded village gardens, he helped build homes – anything and everything that could be asked of a person, he did.

And every week, he would come and offer his services to the High Priestess, and every week her answer was the same.

But she could not help but grow fond of the young man who worked so tirelessly for others. He never refused a request – no matter how much work it may entail.

And every week, he would come and offer his services to the High Priestess, and every week her answer was the same.

But one week, he did not come. Kazeko looked for him from dawn until sunset. When the sky grew dark, she frowned. "Perhaps he has given up…" she mused. The priestess slept uneasily that night and had terrible dreams. In the middle of the night, she went to her sister, and begged her to consult the spring as to where he might be.

In the reflecting pool, Kazeko saw Udo pinned under a tree, most of his life drained out of him. His axe was not far away from his outstretched hand. "He was to gather firewood today," Kazeko gasped, remembering what he had told one of the other priestesses.

Without another word, she flew to where he lay pinned beneath the tree. She knelt before him, and heard his gasping breath.

"I… I am sorry I am late," he said quietly, his words dry and cracked. Kazeko blew the tree away and brought him to her sister.

They laid him in the tree of healing, as their mother had their father so many years before.

"I fear he is too far gone," Hana said sadly. "He has not enough blood to keep the life in him." The sisters looked to one another, and each knew what needed to be done. Kazeko floated the man to the spring. There, the wind sorceress drew a glittering dagger across her palm. She then pressed her bleeding palm to the man's heart, and began to chant quietly. Hana dipped a feather into the sacred spring, and anointed the man, for you see, their blood was too strong for a mortal. Their power had to be bound to his life – from now on, he was no mortal, nor was he immortal. He was both. Unlike a half demon, who is part of one, and part of the other, the spring bound the two parts into a new whole. Udo sat up and gasped for breath, and immediately touched his head to the ground before the two women.

"I thank you for my life," he gasped into the sweet grass. "I have nothing to offer you, accept my service."

The sisters looked to one another, and Hana nodded.

Kazeko knelt before the man, who would not raise his head from the ground.

"I accept," she said quietly.

The next week, Udo had carved Kazeko a fan as a present. He tied the feather to it, as a reminder of his being bound to her. She admired the white cloth with the bold red curls across the top. It became her private treasure.

Udo became her protector, and spent his whole life, just as he had always wanted – in her service. When it was time for his spirit to move to heaven, it did not go alone. Kazeko's fan, however, became a sacred object, guarded by the shrine priestesses. It was said that a fragment of the wind sorceress's soul was bound to that fan, so the priestesses guarded it jealously.

However, many years passed, and the fan, like Kazeko and Udo, became little more than a legend – forgotten by those who did not tend the shrine. A petty and ignorant demon stole several good from the shrine, including the fan. He might have discovered he had quite a powerful weapon… had he not joined with several hundred demons in feasting on the thief, Onigumo. With this merger, the sacred fan also became a part of the terrible demon Naraku.

It was some time before fan saw the light of day – the power of the winds and of binding souls used in a dark and twisted manner… but the free spirit and kindness of the priestess had not died completely. It remained as strong and determined as the grip Naraku had on the heart that contained it.

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Translations:

Matsuko - pine tree child

Yamakaze - mountain wind

Kazeko - wind child

Hana – flower, blossom

Udo – ginseng plant


	3. Of The Amorous Monk

align"center">**Of the Amorous Monk**

When: 50 years before Inuyasha awoke

The young monk leaned heavily on his staff, looking ruefully up the winding path.

"I suppose they were not joking when they said this shrine was remote," he sighed. Adjusting his straw hat over his handsome features, he continued on the path.

A woman's shriek echoed in the distance.

"Duty calls," he said brightly, and went charging off of the path to the sound of the the maiden's cry.

Something circled overhead, not far away. "Cloud falcons," he muttered. "Why so close to the earth?" One broke away from the group and went streaking towards the mountain. The young monk grimaced and doubled his pace.

When he reached the clearing, he saw a young woman surrounded by two or three wolves, which were growling fiercely at several large men who eyed her lustfully.

"What's the matter," a large one sneered at her. "We'll kill the wolves then take good care of you."

"No," she half whispered, her arms wrapped around the body of a struck wolf, tears streaming down her face. "Stay away from us."

"Heh," the man laughed, and advanced towards the girl. The wolves growled loudly, the hair on their backs standing straight up. "As if two mangy wolves will stop us. I've already killed the first, haven't I?" he motioned to the beast that lay in her lap.

"I don't believe I appreciate your attitude towards women," the monk interrupted lazily, entering the clearing.

The half dozen thieves turned to stare at the simple – and unarmed – monk, incredulous at his interruption.

"Who are you," the leader grunted.

"I am the monk Miyatsu," he bowed politely. "And I am on my way to the shrine to pay homage to the wise gods of this mountain. I trust your mission here is far less enlightened."

"We have our mission, alright," the leader smirked. "It has to do with disposing of whatever gets in our way!" he yelled as he charged towards the calm monk. He swung his heavy sword towards the man with bone shattering force. The monk stepped away quickly, and tripped the man with his staff. The giant was reduced to helpless oaf, tumbling clumsily to the ground. Miyatsu unceremoniously thumped the man on the head with his staff, knocking him unconscious. The other thieves looked to each other, and charged the man wildly, who sighed before dispatching with them in the same manner. In a matter of moments, they were tied up in a bundle and sealed with several sacred sutras to a large rock in the clearing.

They moaned as the lumps rose on their head. The monk then went quickly to the side of the woman who had called out for help. She was indeed beautiful, even in distress.

"A priestess," he said, recognizing her garb. "Are you of the mountain shrine?"

"Yes," she said quietly. The wolves that had guarded her now whined with their ears flattened to their heads as they smelled their fallen companion.

"Please, you must help us," she said tearfully.

"I will do what I can," he said doubtfully, "but I think it might be too late for the wolf."

"Please," she begged. "The thieves had a cart with their spoils – we can travel faster that way."

"As you wish," he said quietly, rushing off to where she pointed. He was pleasantly surprised. "Well, they may have been poor fighters, but they were excellent thieves," he grinned.

The cart was laden with goods, but there were several horses waiting. He led those guiding the cart back to the clearing and the others followed. "Well trained," he observed.

He took one of the stolen robes and helped the maiden wrap the wolf carefully and lift it on to the cart. It was a large wolf, much heavier than the monk had anticipated. He looked to the animal suspiciously and back to the priestess. "_I sense no evil aura… but this is definitely no ordinary wolf_."

Struck with a new sense of determination, the monk helped the blood-stained priestess on to the cart, and, following her directions, directed the horses with all speed towards the shrine.

"Is it far?" he asked, eyeing a gathering of Cloud Falcons ahead.

"Not far now," she said quietly.

The monk saw nothing ahead, save the winding path, and hoped that perhaps there was a shortcut nearby. There were certainly more wolves. They had begun to gather when he had been on the main road for a mile or so. He urged the horses forward, eyeing the wolves that surrounded the cart, keeping stride with them. The Cloud Falcons seemed to be nearer now, too.

"Pardon me, priestess," he called over his shoulder. "but,…"

"They will show you the way," she pointed wearily to the falcons. They were very large birds, although they rarely appeared so. Miyatsu reminded himself that was because they flew so much higher than the other birds. They were often used to bring prayers to this shrine. He knew they needed to hurry. He did not know why he knew this, but he felt it as surely as he felt his heart racing beneath his robes.

He forced the horses to go faster, as the path narrowed and became more winding. The birds suddenly swooped up the mountain and disappeared into the clouds. The horses neighed as the wolves surrounded the cart and nipped at their hooves, causing them to rise up and run wildly forward. The monk was thrown into the back of the cart with the priestess. He looked up quickly to see if she was alright, but she simply watched him with a quiet unreadable smile.

"_And yet again, my love of women has landed me into an impossible predicament. If I survive this, I swear I will never…._" But the Monk never finished his thought. He had ducked his head for he could see that the cart was about to crash into the side of the mountain. He tried to secure the lady – and awaited the bone crushing jolt… but it never came. The horses cantered into a large, wide courtyard, and the wolves dispersed. The horses skidded to a stop as if on command, and, while they pawed the ground anxiously, they did not move. Miyatsu looked up, curious, covered in the fabrics that had fallen on him.

A large wolf demon strode to the cart.

"Priestess, are you hurt?"

"No, Rinji, thank you,… but." She looked sadly to her lap.

"Yasuo," the burly redheaded demon said quietly. He gently took the fallen wolf into his arms as if he carried nothing more than a child. He looked directly to the monk. "Come."

If Miyatsu had any hesitation about following the order, he did not show it. He jumped up, and helped the priestess to follow. The Wolf strode to a bright, white light, and the monk felt his body move without thought, supporting the priestess. For once, his mind was scarcely distracted with thoughts of lechery; it was mostly captivated by the brilliant light. When the light faded, they were at the bottom of several stairs leading to a lush garden and a reflecting pool. The light quietly dimmed to reveal a woman in white, who, despite her long white hair, appeared youthful.

Rinji knelt before the woman.

"Obasan…."

She turned quietly, and he followed.

Wordlessly, he placed the wolf in the low wide branches of a peculiar tree, that wrapped around the wolf. Miyatsu watched as the woman in white turned to the wolf, murmuring something he could not here. When she stepped away, a wolf demon lay sleeping in the branches, and a bloodied arrow was in her hands.

"Someone poisoned the arrow," she said quietly.

Rinji raised his eyebrows.

"But who?"

"There have been rumors that we have the Shikon no Tama," Obasan said quietly.

"The men that attacked might have been hired," the priestess came forward and bowed before Obasan. "They had many goods that I do not think they had been clever enough to have stolen."

"Do you have the Shikon no Tama?" Miyatsu asked.

They all turned to look to the monk.

"No," Obasan said quietly. "The Shikon no Tama was burned with the priestess who died protecting it."

"That is what I had heard," Miyatsu said, defeated. "I have been in search of the demon Naraku – said to have had a part in her death."

Obasan looked at the monk carefully.

"Have you battled him?"

"Several times. Each time he takes a different form," the monk said bitterly. "I came to the shrine to seek guidance and advice."

The priestess had climbed to Obasan's side.

"You have done us a great service, Monk," Obasan said quietly. The wolf that laid in the boughs of the tree sighed quietly. Miyatsu noted that he looked older than Rinji. Obasan looked fondly to the injured wolf.

"Yasuo is a protector of the shrine," she explained. "You are in the true heart here. Haru is the high priestess of the shrine, and we…. We are protectors."

Miyatsu looked to the pool of water.

"You are also oracles, are you not?" he asked quietly. Obasan did not answer. She simply bowed her head, while Haru looked to her nervously.

"Naraku is an evil demon, who is causing great atrocities throughout the land," he explained. "Can you tell me anything that will help me defeat him?"

Obasan looked into the Monk's eyes, and then gazed into the reflecting pool for a moment, her features unreadable.

"Naraku is a great evil," she said quietly.

"Do you know where he is?" The monk asked desperately.

Obasan closed her eyes. "You must travel west. He is in the west. Come. Rest here tonight, and we shall send you on your way.

"Follow me," Rinji said in a polite tone that invited no opposition. "Your robes bear the blood of our kind, but as one who has aided us. You have earned our loyalty.

Miyatsu followed the Wolf, after bowing politely to Obasan.

"What did you see," Haru asked Obasan, knowingly.

"There are some paths that must be walked," Obasan said sadly. "They are not for us to change."

Haru's eyes grew wide, but Obasan gently reassured her.

"Return to the shrine, Haru."

"And Yasuo?"

"He has survived worse," Obasan smiled softly.

Haru bowed and returned to the main shrine through a passageway in the gardens.

Obasan, meanwhile turned to the sleeping Yasuo, fondly. "We have been together these many years," she said gently, brushing her hand across his cheek. "I do not intend to be parted now."

When the morning sun crested the mountaintop, Miyatsu was readying the horses. Rinji's people had given him food and directions. He would sell the stolen goods for information about Naraku, and who had attacked the priestess. Or had they attacked the wolf?

"Monk."

Miyatsu turned to see Obasan standing a short distance away from him. He bowed politely.

"I wish you good fortune on your journey," she said quietly. "May these keep you safe," she cupped his right hand, pressing something into it. "And, not that I expect you to heed the words of an old Wolf Woman… but I suggest being … mindful of the fairer sex. Perhaps more… cautious."

Miyatsu smiled knowingly. "I shall be careful," he grinned at her motherly ways. She watched him go, sadly certain he did not interpret her warning correctly. When he turned to wave at the top of the hill, she was gone.

"Hm," he shrugged. "I wonder why she gave me these…Oh well…" he put the prayer beads inside of his robes, and continued on his search for Naraku.

Translations: Yasuo– peaceful one.

Haru – born in spring


End file.
